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Arabia

Weekly Piracy Report for 27 December 2004 to 3 January 2005

2005-01-10

Quiet in SE Asia, given the disaster. However, the following is notable:
02.01.05 at 0730 LT in posn: 26:13.2N - 056:52.2E, Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf / Arabian Sea.

Several persons armed with guns in six blue speedboats about 6 - 8 meters long crossed a container ship from starboard to port. They were dressed in black clothes with facemasks. D/O raised alarm and crew mustered and activated fire hoses. Boats followed the ship but later moved away.

Firehoses? With AK's as cheap as they are in Peshawar?

Posted by:Pappy

#3 Most merchant captains have only a shotgun or a handgun for last-ditch. They don't want to maintain an armory or train sailors. They certainly don't want weapons accessable to the average merchant seaman.

Good watchmen and a crew prepared to repel boarders with hoses, pikes, and speed (the merchant can't outrun the speedboat in many cases, but can churn up a hell of a wake) are usually sufficient. Unfortunately, crews are small and watches only maintained in high threat areas. In this case, potential pirates saw a prepared crew and chose to find a softer target.

Posted by: longtime lurker 2005-01-10 10:28:55 AM

#2 You save the gun play for when they actually board then? A BMG will shred a firbe glass speedboat.

Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-01-10 5:33:57 AM

#1 Crew that repel pirates with guns/small arms are executed if they are overrun. Water hoses, other "nonlethal" methods of repelling boarders are apparently not offensive to pirates. A prepared and visible resistance is usually enough to deter pirates. Pirates with a strong desire to meet Allan, however, may require stronger measures.

Posted by: longtime lurker 2005-01-10 5:14:24 AM

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